Astrology and Astronomy - No wonder people get confused !

[gaa_ian]

I was browsing the online article directory where I regularly publish Astronomy and space science articles and came accross this article in the "Science " section
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Star-We-Call-The-Sun&id=969258

All seems good you might think and you would be right, the science is sound.

But scroll down to the bottom of the article and look at the author and the link to his website !

Ah ....:screwy: now I know why things are happening to me that big gas ball in in my star sign :P

Astrology Masquerading as science :mad2:

[RB]

Duplicity.
He must be a Gemini.

[edwardsdj]

It's always caused me amusement that astrologers use the positions of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto in their predictions. These bodies have only been discovered since the invention of the telescope. Pluto is no longer classed as a planet.

I was speaking to someone really into astrology some years ago who informed me of "true star signs". She was telling me that there were 13 of these so I asked to see a chart. Sure enough, it was based on where the ecliptic crosses the constellation boundaries defined by the IAU in 1930.

How people think this is some sort of ancient art continued in the modern era is beyond me.

[Paddy]

I've heard astrologers say that the planets can be added as new things emerge into consciousness and that the discovery of new planets parallels such changes in our consciousness. Fancy that! It's always possible to explain something if your paradigm is flexible enough and you're willing to make unsubstantiated assertions

[edwardsdj]

I also had a serious discussion about it with a former partner of mine recently. She was telling me all about how Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were all known in ancient times and that it has taken the invention of the telescope to see them.

Funny that Uranus is a naked eye object. Why did people spend so much time looking for Neptune and Pluto if they knew where to look all along?

It's unfortunate that the majority of people will believe anything they are told. I guess that's why things like astrology and religion will always be with us.

[AJames]

Astronomy articles written by astrologers are fairly common, and as long as they don't contain false information, it should not be a problem - though I agree that it is hard to accept their credibility.
Worst are the sights than merge fact and fiction together. One example, on a star known as p Eridani / Dunlop 5, which is a roughly 0.5 degrees north of Achernar. This is the SpikeValance deviantART site at;
http://spikevalance.deviantart.com/art/p-Eridani-A-Palaemon-system-76358677
The information on p Eridani is about right, but the planets they give don't exist at all. Much of the data has been lifted from;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P_Eridani :(

You have to wonder how legitimate some of the stuff presented on the Internet can be, and you could only wish that they be up-front instead of being so deceptive. In this case, he is selling quite acceptable indie large images by various artists, T-shirts and even caps.
Ie. The Valentine's Day
http://www.deviantart.com/print/28584/
or
The humorous and disturbing;
http://www.deviantart.com/print/83227/

What can you do though? :shrug:

[Outbackmanyep]

I love the part where it says that "The corona is composed of charged particles that become what we call the solar wind as they radiate outward from the Sun at 450 kilometers per second and are responsible for the aurora borealis."

WHAT!? THERE IS NO AURORA AUSTRALIS???? WHERE DOES IT COME FROM???

[goober]

Northern bias :) We do have to reverse the seasons in most astronomy books!

Ah, astrology. We have someone at work who posts Jonathon Cainer's predictions from the Melbourne Herald-Sun in the tea room every day. It's hilarious. My favorite bit is if I send him $60 he'll send me a personal reading, in about 4 weeks. He got very excited when Comet Holmes did its thing last year - he got some mileage from that. Last week he was drawing connections between Pluto, World War II and plutonium bombs. He's very clever. :help:

[avandonk]

The astrologers are using 2K+ year old 'charts'. Put your actual date of birth into any decent astro program and see where the Sun was when you were born. It most probably will be at least a 'starsign' out!

This problem goes back to the lack of scientific funding. If you tell the King Emperor etc that your 'hobby' of looking at the heavens can fortell the future and help him stay on top, of course he will fund you. The lie just caught on.

It was important in ancient times for calendars, crop plantings etc but like anything that men do was soon distorted.

When ever I am in a newsagency I always ask why astrology mags are not in the fiction area instead of next to Astronomy mags and Science journals. I always get a blank or stunned reaction that they are the same!

Sad Sad Sad

Bert

[Ric]

Whenever I go to my local newsagent the astronomy magazines are one thin line sandwiched between the girlie magazines and the guns and hunting magazines, I subscribe to AS&T now but I could never work out the link between guns, girls and astronomy :lol:

I noticed also that the astrology magazines are usually grouped in with magazines like Nexus and Fortean in another area.

Cheers:)

[luvmybourbon]

where i am the astronomy magazines are always put with the astrology junk, its like no-one takes it seriously!

[MrB]

Nup, it's that people take Astrology TOO seriously.

[xelasnave]

So if the International Space Station gets between me and my ruling planet is that good or bad?????
alex

[gaa_ian]

I chipped my local news agent about this same thing ... the astronomy magazines are now with the science and technology mags :thumbsup:

[Kokatha man]

Picked up the latest copy of Aust S&T at the newsagent this morning. Asked the young girl (who was really very helpfull and nice) "have you got the latest edition of....." and she said............ " what's it got in it?"

I replied "um, er, the sky and telescopes, stars and stuff!" (didn't dare say astronomy, 10 to 1 she'd have sent me to the fortune-telling rack!)

[Karls48]

Don’t knock the Astrology too much, I’m Capricorn described as “Hard headed and stupid” :rofl: yes sound like me. My brother in law is Aries “kind of guy who runs over old lady on pedestrian crossing” :P yes that’s him.

[Outbackmanyep]

Hey! Thats MY fav mix! hehe :thumbsup:

[Kokatha man]

Alex - if your ruling planet gets between the ISS and you, it could be ***** bad for all of us, unless we're only talking about.....you know, the one after Saturn!

[AJames]

Hey! I thought that was only me! :rofl:
Andrew

[Adrian-H]

astrology is just as fake as psychology and psychiatry, though much healthyer for you, MUCH HEALTHYER!

[Suzy_A]

It's obvious isn't it?

Both guns and girls will go off bang if improperly (or properly?) handled.

Both girls and astronomy are heavenly!

[Ric]

Fair enough Susan, very aptly put. :lol:

Cheers

[MrB]

Knew I read about this somewhere, just found it in the 'Astronomy 2003' yearbook.
The article says this:
In reality the Sun actually passes through 13 constellations each year with Ophiuchus being the missing 'sign'. In fact the Sun stays in Ophiuchus each year longer than Scorpius (called Scorpio by astrologers).

and:

In summary there are 21 constellations in which some of the planets from Mercury to Neptune can at times enter. The Moon adds Auriga to the list. Hence we have a total of 22 constellations. If you count Pluto's movement you can include Serpens, Eridanus, Coma Berenices and Bootes. These additions are due to the high inclination of this distant body.

Any astrologers care to comment? LOL

[goober]

Interesting - I was wondering how they handled Jupiter in Ophiuchus last year.

[Outbackmanyep]

Picture this....Taking a girl out, under the stars, pig shooting......need someone to hold the spotlight!:thumbsup:

(if my gf was here she'd kill me for sure! lol)